Which nutrient deficiency commonly causes interveinal chlorosis on the youngest leaves, particularly in zinc-deficient soils?

• A. Iron deficiency
• B. Magnesium deficiency
• C. Zinc deficiency
• D. Calcium deficiency

Answer: (C)

Interveinal chlorosis on the youngest leaves points to a zinc shortage. Zinc is a micronutrient essential for many enzymes and for proper chloroplast and leaf development; when it’s limited, young tissues can’t synthesize chlorophyll efficiently, so the areas between the veins lose color while the veins stay relatively green. In soils with low zinc availability—common in alkaline or calcareous soils—plants can’t take up enough zinc, so symptoms appear first in new growth because zinc is not very mobile within the plant. That’s why zinc deficiency is the typical cause of this pattern. If you’re addressing it, you’d look to supply zinc through soil or foliar fertilizer and consider adjusting soil conditions to improve zinc availability, such as pH management.